WHO and health authorities deliver 24/7 health services for hundreds of people fleeing the crisis in Telafar, Iraq

Baghdad, 22 August 2017 – As hundreds of people flee the crisis in Telafar, a city west of Mosul, Iraq, the World Health Organization (WHO) and health partners, in collaboration with Ninewa health authority, have established static and mobile medical clinics to offer 24/7 lifesaving emergency and primary health care services to meet the urgent needs of people fleeing the crisis.

The static and mobile clinics have been established in 2 mustering points in Buweyr and Musaid, as well as in the 2 screening sites in Badoush and Scorpion Junction. They will provide round-the-clock health services, including essential services. Emergency medical supplies, trauma, and emergency health kits have also been delivered to the field hospitals and primary health care centres in Hammam Al-Alil to cope with the number of people fleeing from the conflict areas. Ninety nine per cent of all mobile medical clinics in the frontlines are being run by Ninewa Directorate of Health and WHO’s implementing partner DARY. Health services in Hammam Al Alil screening site have been reactivated.

Drawing from lessons learnt during the Mosul operations, Ninewa Department of Health, WHO and trauma partners are scaling up frontline trauma care, establishing trauma stabilization points and field hospitals at the frontlines of the crisis and coordinating ambulance for patient transfers so as to cope with the expected increase of trauma patients.

“The Department of Health, WHO and its partners are on the ground working around the clock to ensure that internally displaced persons get immediate health care. The majority of those arriving to the mustering points are exhausted and sick, many have had limited access to health services for a long time. The exhaustion from long distances that people have to walk to access the mustering points have been exacerbated by the soaring temperatures,” says Altaf Musani, the WHO Country Representative in Iraq.

“Our goal is to save lives. Timely access to emergency trauma and essential health care services remains a top priority at this point, hence our efforts to establish additional field hospitals and trauma stabilisation points on the frontlines,” added Musani.

WHO is working in collaboration with Iraq health authorities, UN agencies and implementing partners.

To ensure adequate coverage of primary health care services, including immunization and trauma care for the newly displaced population while maintaining the emergency response for over 6 million people in need of urgent humanitarian assistance across Iraq. WHO is appealing for urgent support of US$ 59 million to bridge the current 49% funding gap.

For more information, please contact:Pauline AjelloCommunications Officer+964 7510101460
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Ajyal SultanyCommunications Officer+964 7510101469
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